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The first written mention of Hackney Dalston comes from 1294 when the area was known as Derleston. It is believed that the name derives from “Deorlaf’s tun” which most likely means farm belonging to someone named Deorlaf. This E3 area was one of the four villages that formed Hackney Parish. John Rocque’s London map from 1746 shows Kingsland, one of the four villages, on the land that is now Dalston Junction. The village of Hackney Dalston was along Dalston Lane. The Roman road Ermine Street which is now the A10 forms the western boundary of this area.
In the 13th century, the citizens of London established a leper hospital in Hackney Dalston. In the 16th century, the hospital became the outhouse of the chapel of St Bartholomew. Until the 19th century, this part of East London was mainly rural. Dalston Junction railway station serves this area. When it opened in 1865, it had three island platforms and no overall roof. In 1986, the station closed and re-opened in 2010. There’s a project to built a new underground station by 2033. Hackney Dalston is home to the Dalston Music Festival since 2015. There are many arts and entertainment venues in this area. The Four Aces Club was one of the most famous clubs here. Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, Mick Jagger, Bob Dylan, and Stevie Wonder frequented the club.
The former Prime Minister of UK, Tony Blair, lived in Hackney Dalston in the 1980s. Comedian Stephen Fry and actor Hugh Laurie shared a house in the area. English actresses Diane Morgan and Emily Lloyd are other famous residents. Rio Cinema opened in Hackney Dalston in 1908. The building is Grade II listed. The German Hospital is a group of Victorian buildings that housed a hospital between 1845 and 1987. St. Mark’s Church is London’s largest parish church.